It's Okay to Cry: Part II
by imanerd225
Summary: This story is a Part II to a fantastic, well-written story by DrummerDancer, "It's Okay to Cry." (And yes, I have obtained her permission to post this.) So if you have not read that story, head on over there first. /s/9728185/1/It-s-Okay-to-Cry


It was a dull day at the office for Colonel Mustang. He sat alone at his desk, slogging through paperwork that he really didn't want to be doing. He turned in his chair to look out the window. Thin, wispy, white clouds rolled through the sky, dampening the sun's glow. _What a dreary day,_ he thought.

 _Squeeeeek._ The door creaked open, startling Mustang. Collecting himself, he turned his chair around.

"Fullmetal," he remarked. He was surprised to see the boy; he hadn't been expecting him, and he couldn't see why Ed would have any other reason to be at Central Headquarters. And something else was off, too, although he couldn't quite place it… Did Ed always look this sullen? Mustang was starting to get a serious sense of déjà vu.

"Hey," Ed said. He looked uncomfortable. "It's, um… Ed."

Suddenly, it all came rushing back to Mustang. "Ah," he assessed. "Ed, not Fullmetal."

The blond head bobbed just slightly in confirmation as Ed slumped onto a chair. Mustang stood slowly. He would let Ed make the first move, but he wanted to make sure that he felt like he could.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" Mustang asked softly. He himself felt somewhat uncomfortable—he wasn't often in the position of talking to people about emotions or feelings, let alone trying to comfort them. But he knew that Ed needed him to be there for him, like any other soldier in a desperate situation.

"It's just," Ed started, "now that we know about the Philosopher's Stone," and here his voice hitched, "I just don't know what to do." His voice broke, and it was clear that he was on the brink of tears. Obviously, coming to Mustang was his last resort. His pride had kept him away until he could stay away no more. He was still just a kid, and he needed someone to be there for him when his own confidence had worn out. Mustang understood.

"Without the Philosopher's Stone, how will I ever be able to get Al his body back?" The dam finally broke, and Ed couldn't hold back the tears any longer. As the first tears fell, Ed scrubbed at his eyes furiously. "This is pathetic," he mumbled. "I shouldn't be crying."

"Ed," Mustang finally interjected, moving over to where he was sitting. He squatted in front of the boy. "Look at me." Ed hesitated, but eventually, with his head still lowered, he lifted his eyes to meet Mustang's. "You need to remember that you're still very much a kid," Mustang told him. "You've already been through much more than most kids your age. You're stressed, you're disappointed, I'm sure you're still mourning your mother. You have every reason to cry." Ed's lower lip began to tremble, and he fought every instinct telling him to turn away. "As for how you'll get your bodies back, I know you'll figure something else out. It's all going to be alright. Okay?"

With a sniffle, Ed raised his head to look at Mustang properly, trying to plaster the most confident look he could on his face (Mustang noticed that his efforts only succeeded in making him look even more anguished) and nodded.

Knowing first-hand the destruction of held-back tears, Mustang decided to take initiative. He wrapped his arms around Ed's back, drawing him in for a hug. And as if he'd pulled the magic lever, Ed's body erupted into sobs, and for the second time, Ed found himself crying into the colonel's shoulder.

Once he had calmed down, Ed stayed in Mustang's embrace, deciding to let the colonel be the first to pull away. Mustang ran a gloved hand over the back of Ed's head one more time and then let his arms fall. Ed brought an arm up to wipe away the aftermath of the flood that had just ensued. When he looked back up, he was the cocky, insolent kid they'd all gotten used to stomping around Central Headquarters.

"Fullmetal," Mustang acknowledged with an amused smile on his face. He stood and strode back over to his desk. "Back in town, I see."

"Yep," Ed said, also standing. "But I'd better go check on Al. I've already left him with your military loonies for too long."

As Ed turned to leave, Mustang smiled to himself. This kid was going to be the death of him one day. But he was going to get one heck of a show watching him grow up.


End file.
